A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of heavy equipment accessories, more specifically, a rotating drum that is specifically suited for cleaning out a ditch of undergrowth.
Ditches alongside a parcel of land or a road can accumulate undergrowth comprising weeds and reeds. This undergrowth can be a dilemma where the ditch is specifically created to provide drainage immediately adjacent a road. The existence of said undergrowth can prevent adequate drainage, and can result in slippery conditions. That being the case, there is a need for a device that can strip a depressed surface or ditch of undergrowth. More importantly, there is a need to provide a device that can be driven along side said ditch or depressed surface, which upon use will clear out and throw by force the undergrowth out and away from said ditch.
The device disclosed below meets the needs of a device that can clear out undergrowth from a ditch or depressed surface.
B. Discussion of the Prior Art
As will be discussed immediately below, no prior art discloses an accessory for a continuous track machinery that is comprised of a drum upon which a plurality of teeth and scoops extend radially away from an exterior surface and of which is rotatably engaged at a downward angle with respect to the plane of travel of said machinery; wherein as the accessory is rotatably driven along, the teeth and scoops are specifically suited for clearing and forcibly removing undergrowth and engaging the top surface of dirt along a ditch whereas said machinery straddles over said ditch or along side.
The Beckett et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,275) discloses a ditch cleaning machine having a pair of rotors. However, the machine is not a drum that is rotated about a rotating means mounted to a continuous track machine.
The Plessala, Jr. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 7,549,483) discloses a furrow/ditch clearer having a rotating wheel with elongated blades that contact obstructing matter. Again, the ditch clearer is not a rotating drum on which digger teeth and scoops spin to clear out undergrowth from a ditch.
The Daniel et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 3,704,575) discloses a ditch cleaning device comprising a chain rotating mechanism. However, the rotating chains are flung to clear undergrowth as opposed to a rotating drum having a plurality of digger teeth and scoops.
The Rogers patent (U.S. Pat. No. 3,624,826) discloses a ditch cleaning device comprising a rotor that is driven by the power take off adapter of a tractor. Again, the device is not a rotating drum that attaches to a continuous track machine and of which rotates via a rotating means to impact undergrowth of a ditch via digger teeth and subsequently throw said cut undergrowth via scoops.
The Ford patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,336) discloses an automated machine for cleaning debris from roadside ditches. However, the automated machine does not rely upon a rotating drum that clears undergrowth when driven alongside a ditch.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective and particular objects and requirements, they do not describe an accessory for a continuous track machinery that is comprised of a drum upon which a plurality of teeth and scoops extend radially away from an exterior surface and of which is rotatably engaged at a downward angle with respect to the plane of travel of said machinery; wherein as the accessory is rotatably driven along, the teeth and scoops are specifically suited for clearing and forcibly removing undergrowth along a ditch whereas said machinery straddles over said ditch or along side. In this regard, the ditch-cleaning device departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art.